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British Boxing Awards 2025: Fighter of the Year, Best Moment, Best Knockout

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Starting with Chris Eubank Jr.’s fights. from Conor Benn and the carnage that accompanied both events, to an all-women show at the Royal Albert Hall and Fabio Wardley winning the heavyweight title – there have been some incredible moments in British boxing this year.

Moses Itauma continued to rise through the ranks, making things easier for both of his opponents, and he was named this year’s top youthful player by ESPN.

Who else has won in the last 12 months.

Here are the ESPN British Boxing Awards for 2025.

Men’s Player of the Year – Fabio Wardley

Boxing has never seen a story like Fabio Wardley’s.

After just a few mental battles, Wardley turned professional in 2017. Since then, he has climbed the ladder with knockout after knockout and in 2025 was officially crowned heavyweight champion of the world.

Although he didn’t get his massive “and up-to-date!” moment in the ring, Wardley’s round 11 victory over Joseph Parker was fully deserving of a title shot. The victory over Parker gave him the interim WBO title, and when Oleksandr Usyk vacated the belt, Wardley became champion.

Parker’s fight followed a decisive knockout of Justis Huni in June. Everything indicates that Wardley scored a sensational KO in the 10th round, defeating the Australian with a right hand from which he never recovered.

There will be massive fights in 2026, but Wardley enjoyed Christmas, winning the world title under the Christmas tree before defending his belt next year.

– No delays, no warm-ups; it’s time for Anthony Joshua vs. Tyson Fury


Women’s Player of the Year – Ellie Scotney

Ellie Scotney remains one of British boxing’s most underrated and underappreciated fighters.

The undefeated 27-year-old defended her IBF, WBO and ring titles in January by defeating Mea Motu, then added the WBC junior featherweight title to her collection with a victory over Yamileth Mercado in July.

An injury forced her to withdraw from her undisputed fight against Mayelli Flores, but Scotney will return in 2026 to try to capture all the belts. Fighting under Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions, Scotney could get massive fights on both sides of the Atlantic.


Fight of the Year – Callum Smith def. Joshua Buatsi (UD)

The fight of Chris Eubank Jr. deserves special mention. with Conor Benn I, but Callum Smith’s victory over Joshua Buatsi stood out for both action and technical skill. Buatsi was the favorite before the fight, but Smith turned back the clock, impressing with a display of skill and determination against an equally good opponent.

From the opening bell, the two went head-to-head and didn’t let up for 12 pulsating rounds. Sometimes it looked like they were holding on to each other to make sure they didn’t run away.

Buatsi was injured in Round 6 and Smith was pushing to take him down, but Buatsi rallied and fired a huge left hook that rocked Smith at the end of a remarkable round that had the Riyad crowd floored.

Smith mercilessly peppered Buatsi with body shots, but Buatsi always tried to return fire and wound his opponent more than once. After a pulsating start, both fighters looked tired from the start of the fight, but they never gave up on the fight in the pocket and gave fans a thrilling fight.

– 25 best fighters under 25 in boxing: Itauma, Norman, Mason, Fundora and others


Knockout of the Year – Fabio Wardley vs. Justis Huni

Both the circumstances and the execution ensured a remarkable ending when Wardley knocked down Huni in June. Huni, who took the fight on compact notice, was in full control and boxed out to a huge defeat against his more experienced opponent on his home turf in Ipswich.

However, Wardley’s knockout power was well known and he seized the moment with 90 seconds remaining in round 10, unleashing a huge right hand that caught Huni square in the nose and sent him to the canvas. The referee waved his hand and Wardley sent the Portman Road stadium into meltdown.

Of course, we now know that this punch set him on the path to fighting, defeating Joseph Parker and winning the world title, which will no doubt make the KO even sweeter for Wardley.


Moment of the year – Chris Eubank Sr.’s arrival at Eubank Jr. vs. Benn

2025 will be known as the year we finally saw Chris Eubank Jr fight. with Conor Benn. Even though there are 24 rounds, and the first fight in particular will be remembered as a classic battle, the threads and narratives around the fight are just as crucial.

There was nothing more memorable than the sight of Chris Eubank senior opening the door of his SUV as he arrived – completely unexpectedly – ​​at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in April.

The senior moved away from his son and made it clear that he didn’t want to get involved in the fight until he did, of course.

The noise the crowd made when they saw the father and son arrive at the stadium was incredible; truly a classic moment.

Similarly, the image of Conor and Nigel Benn – Senior’s long-time rival – watching Eubank enter the field was another iconic image in the spectacle that was the Eubank Jr match. vs. Benn.

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Jared Anderson withdraws from May 9 fight with a torn bicep

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Image: Jarrell Miller Claims Jared Anderson Pulled Out of Their September 13th

Ring Magazine reports that Anderson withdrew from his fight with Solomon Dacres after suffering a bicep injury. The 10-round heavyweight bout was scheduled for Fabio Wardley vs. Daniel Dubois at the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester.

Anderson (18-1, 15 KO) was looking for another step back after a knockout loss to Martin Bakole in 2024. Instead, the 26-year-old now faces another delay at a bad time in his career.

The fight at Dacres was not a world-class test, but it had value. Anderson needed rounds, activity and a consistent win on a major heavyweight card. Now that’s gone, and the injury gives critics more room to question where his career is headed.

The reaction from boxing fans was fierce, with several responses pointing out Anderson’s injury history and durability. Some questioned whether his body would hold up in the heavyweight division. Others suggested he might have to consider considering the cruiserweight division if physical problems persist.

It may be tough, but it’s the kind of failure that changes the way you view your prospect. Anderson still has talent, but he’s no longer talked about as a pure future heavyweight star. Now he’s trying to prove he can stay vigorous long enough to rebuild.

Moving to Queensberry and fighting in the UK seemed like a desperate attempt to find a novel environment that could boost his confidence. But this bicep injury is a disaster because it adds another year of rust to a psyche that already looked feeble. You won’t rebuild your self-confidence at the gym.

A torn bicep effectively means Jared Anderson’s career will be in frigid storage until the end of 2026. Recovery from this type of surgery usually takes six to nine months before a player can even think about hitting a full-power shot with that hand.

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Mike Tyson is nearing the end of his career at the age of 60 after Mayweather’s snubs and injuries

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Mike Tyson entrance 2024

Mike Tyson is nearing the end of his career as Floyd Mayweather’s recent cancellation of an exhibition may have put the final nail in the coffin.

Tyson’s Hall of Fame tenure, which incredibly extended at the age of 57 against Jake Paul in 2024, was approaching his final appearance against Mayweather.

The fight had been talked about for months as if it had actually happened. A date was set, attention was paid, but the reality never lived up to the headlines as the proposed event failed to advance beyond early discussion and quietly faded away.

There was a lack of explanation, space and real emphasis. In the case of a Floyd Mayweather event, this is usually the biggest prize.

When Mayweather wants a fight, he promotes it. This time he didn’t.

Instead, Mayweather moved on. His confirmed return against Mike Zambidis in Athens made it clear what his focus was, leaving the Tyson fight on the sidelines – most likely for good.

Time and injuries

Time has also caught up with this idea.

Tyson will turn 60 in June, and his next fights will be a huge surprise considering everything that has already happened.

He almost died when Paul’s fight was postponed from April to November two years ago, which Tyson himself later detailed after an in-flight medical emergency left the former champion fighting for his life.

That alone should be a warning.

Combine that with previous back surgery, appearing in a cast on his arm just last month, and the massive amounts of marijuana Mike is consuming, and another comeback seems unthinkable.

Tyson has been through a lot, but it’s a completely different situation for the hard-hitting Modern Yorker.

Ariel Helwani show

The last chapter

The Mayweather fight was the one that could have sent Mike flying with fanfare.

It had the name, the curiosity and the setting that could allow Tyson to make one last appearance without everything that comes with a full comeback.

Now that’s gone and it looks like his fight with Paul is all she wrote.

World Boxing News has already reported that Tyson’s former rival, Oliver McCall, is continuing to fight at the age of 61, but Tyson was never that type of fighter.

If he does not regain full health in the coming months, boxing fans will likely see the last of the youngest heavyweight champion of all time.

At this point, the opportunity has passed and nothing else on the table carries the same weight.

Mainly because it feels like Mike Tyson’s swan song has already happened.


About the author

Phil Jay is the editor-in-chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a boxing veteran with over 15 years of experience. Since 2010, he has interviewed world champions, published exclusive international performances and reported on in-ring performances. His work is distributed on major platforms including Apple News. Read the full biography.

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Naoya Inoue Offered Another Super Fight If He Beats Nakatani: ‘I’m Ready Anytime’

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Naoya Inoue offered another super fight if he beats Nakatani: “I’m ready whenever”

Naoya Inoue received another career-defining challenge before she even stepped into the ring against Junto Nakatani.

First and foremost, “The Monster” must defend his undisputed super bantamweight crown against Nakatani on May 2, headlining the blockbuster Japanese event at the Tokyo Dome.

This will mark Inoue’s seventh defense of his four major 122-pound titles, and the uncompromising feeling has been considered the top star of the two-pound-for-pound division.

The 33-year-old’s most notable victories came against the likes of Luis Nery and Ramon Cardenas, who both defeated the undisputed two-division champion but were ultimately stopped in rounds six and eight, respectively.

Meanwhile, Nakatani is widely considered to be Inoue’s toughest opponent to date, even though the three-division world champion lost debatable points of victory over Sebastian Hernandez in December last year.

However, to be fair, this was his first appearance at 122 pounds and many expected the 28-year-old to raise his level against Inoue.

However, in a world where Inoue is winning, it is becoming more and more likely that he will consider a potential fight with Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez.

The unified super flyweight champion will move up to 118 pounds for his next fight, where he will face WBA champion Antonio Vargas on June 13.

If this next assignment is successful, Rodriguez will talk about it Ring Magazine that he will jump up another weight class to face Inoue.

“I’m ready at any time. If I was offered this fight right now, I would definitely accept it.”

Although Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn has confirmed initial talks about the fight, there is equally a chance that “Bam” will drop down to 115 pounds in pursuit of undisputed glory.

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